Start a group

If you can’t find a user group in your area, start your own. The first step is to register your group with Adobe. When you register your group, you gain access to resources like management tools, giveaways, leader discounts, and more to help make your meetings a success.

Why should I start a group?

Leadership requires time, dedication and vision—but most leaders will tell you it’s worth it. Here are some of the things chapter leaders say they got out of starting a user group:

• A supportive environment where they can learn and share more about Acrobat
• Opportunities to get low-cost information, training, and support from other members’ services
• A chance to share thoughts and ideas with other people who share their interest in Acrobat and PDF
• Knowledge about new product developments and innovations
• Discounts on third-party products and services

How do I start a group?

Can anyone start an Acrobat user group?
If you want to start an Acrobat user group, you should be able to commit to the following key requirements:

• Meetings should be held on a regular basis, at least four times a year.
• Each leader is responsible for maintaining the content on their Acrobatusers.com chapter page.
• Provide meeting date, location, and agenda to user group members at least four weeks in advance of meeting.
• Provide meeting notes and photos to website within one week of meeting.
• Recruit a volunteer committee to help run meetings.
• Comply with Adobe brand guidelines and local and federal laws.

How do I start an Acrobat user group?
If you are interested in starting a user group in your area, please contact us at team@acrobatusers.com. We will review your request and get back to you.

How do I manage my group?

How do I announce my meetings?
Create a new meeting and an announcement message in the Member Area of AcrobatUsers.com. We will send out a reminder email to all registered attendees one week prior to your meeting.

What’s the best way to get members to register to attend a meeting?
The best way is to create your new meeting announcement on AcrobatUsers.com. In addition, send out invitations to business and community contacts, friends, schools, and so on. Encourage everyone to register on AcrobatUsers.com. You may also want to call members ahead of time to encourage their attendance.

Can I get training to be a more successful leader?
Adobe offers chapter leader training several times a year. If you’re unable to attend a session, you may access the material online in your AcrobatUsers.com member area (once you have been given access).

Are there forms available to use at my meetings?
Adobe has forms—including name badges, evaluation forms, and sign in sheets— that you can print out and use during your meetings.

Where can I get resources like speakers and presenters?
You can work with Adobe to find a guest speaker(s). Complete the Adobe Speaker Presentation Request Form. Adobe supplies promotional giveaways to user groups for use at meetings. Each leader receives an initial welcome kit. Leaders can request additional giveaways as needed.

How do I make my user group a success?

Are there any tips on managing my group?

• Define the focus of your group.
• Recruit a volunteer committee to help run your meetings.
• Create a mission statement, document the history of your group, and create a set of guidelines that will govern the meetings.
• Set goals for your group. What kinds of things do you want to achieve?
• Get members involved in creating a website and/or a newsletter.
• Hold consistent meetings and regular communication with members.
• Recruit new members.

How can I make my meetings more relevant?

• Profile the interests of your users and make sure your meeting topics reflect those interests.
• Hold meetings more frequently and at the same time and location.
• Set aside a few minutes toward the end of your meeting to solicit feedback on meeting. Use a flip chart or a t-chart and jot down what worked well for this meeting and what the group would change. Brainstorm on next meeting agenda (topics, speakers, venue and so on).
• Hand out an evaluation form at the end of the meeting and make sure you use the feedback when developing the agenda for your next meeting.

Start a group

Interested in becoming a chapter leader? Contact us.